Concealed door hinge



Feb. 4, 1969 Filed Feb. 8, 1966 m a Mm r T 1 e d A S E n V C m E M h w M m J w M 4 v w m 6 w F 6 4 Q 0 w w 4 5 United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DlSCLOSURE This invention has to do with a concealed kitchen cabinet door hinge means for use in conjunction with a marginal lip doorfan overlay door, flush door or the like. :It is characterized by a pair of companion brackets, one for attachment to a horizontal stationary wall and the other one for attachment to an interior surface of the horizontally swingable door. It functions to fully open the door to a 90 angle. The brackets accommodate the respective inner and outer ends of companion links or arms which equalize stress and strain. The primary bottom link travels in a path below that of the secondary link and allows these links to cross each other in X-shaped relationship without colliding or binding.

This invention relates to an improved concealed-type door hinge which is expressly, but not necessarily, designed and uniquely adapted to mount and reliably support a swingable cabinet door and has to do with a novel dual linkage hinge which is such in construction that it can be effectively used on any commonly used cabinet door, for example, a marginally flanged lip door, an overlay door, flush door, or the like.

The hinge herein disclosed functions to pull the door away from the entrance of the cabinet front or frame, bodily supports and suspends the door, and allows the door to open fully to assume a 90 angle. Simple and easy-to-install brackets are used to hingedly anchor the inner and outer terminal ends of the twin links or arms and are such in adaptability that no mortising of the cabinet components is necessary.

The length of the links determines the outward swing of the door and can be varied in keeping with the requirements of the job at hand. Thus, where the installation calls for a fuller opening of the door the length of the links is accurately determined in advance.

Each link comprises a single length of prescribed flatfaced rigid strap metal (stainless steel) whose terminal inner and outer ends are pivotally hinged on simply constructed anchoring brackets. One bracket (a simple flat plate or cleat) is screwed atop the intended cabinet wall with which it is cooperable and the inner ends of the links rest atop and are hinged thereon at spaced predetermined places of link-controlling anchorage. The other bracket, an appropriate angle or L-shaped clip, has one flange adjustably fastened on the interior of the door. The other flange projects inwardly at a right angle and the outer door attaching ends are hinged, one on top of said flange and one on the bottom, the flange being interposed therebetween and the hinge points being oriented and interrelated to allow the two links to travel in the required :arouate paths of movement. To the ends desired, the last-named flange is in a plane above the plane of the cleat at the level necessary for linkage control without binding or colliding.

One link, the shorter of the two, constitutes and provides the principal load handling means and will be hereinafter designated as the primary link. The other link, the longer auxiliary one, contributes its coordinate share, serves to equalize stress and strain and, acting as a brace or stabilizer, bears its part of the load and insures a well ice balanced smooth operating end result. Thus, too, and as will be noted, the primary or lower link functions at a level or plane below that of the upper or top link; and, by using properly bracketed links with precision-located pivot points and brackets the links provide the door supporting and opening and closing capability sequence of independent but interdependent link-action, and load handling control required. Moreover, and this is important, the primary link travels in a path below the path of movement of the auxiliary or secondary link, allows the links to cross each other in X-shaped relation, minimizes friction binding, prevents collision of the links, and achieves the door opening result desired.

These together with other objects and advantages Which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a View in perspective showing coacting walls of an enclosure or cabinet, a lip-door, and the improved hinge and the manner in which it is constructed and functions when the door is closed;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the structure shown in FIGURE 1 and which shows the door partly open and discloses the converging outer ends of the links with the door in this partly open position;

FIGURE 3 is a view like FIG. 2 but which shows the door in its completely open position and wherein, the upper or top link has crossed over the then underlying end portion of the lower or bottom link; and

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on the irregular section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

The enclosure herein shown represents a cabinet, one vertical wall of which is denoted at 6 and the companion horizontal wall is denoted at 8, the outer marginal edge 10 representing the bottom of the ca'binets entrance opening. The door is denoted at 12 and comprises a panel whose marginal edge is provided with an outstanding flange 14. This type of a door is known in the trade as a lip-door. It is to be pointed out here that while the hinge is shown in conjunction with a lip-door, it is such in construction that it will serve with virtually any cabinet door such as, for example, an overlay door, flush door, or the like. The improved hinge means herein shown functions to pull the door away from the entrance opening of the cabinet and bodily supports and suspends the door and allows the door to open to assume an angle of 90 degrees or more.

The hinge means is characterized by two simple economical easy-to-install brackets. One bracket, called the first bracket is denoted at 16 and is preferably, but not necessarily in the form of a rectangular flat-faced cleat or plate. This plate is attached :by screws or other fasteners 18 to the top surface of the wall 8 with its edge 20 inwardly of the leading edge 10 of said wall. Its point of attachment is approximately as shown with one end 22 of the cleat spaced from the interior 24 of the vertical wall 6. It is to the remote or transverse end portion 26 that the oriented and coordinating links are hingedly attached. Before discussing the links attention is now directed to the second bracket 28 which comprises a simple angular or L-shaped clip which has a vertical flange 30 abutting the interior wall or surface 32 of the door. This flange is provided with vertically elongated slots 34 to accommodate fastening screws 36 whereby the bracket is thus adjustably mounted. The horizontal flange 38 projects or extends at right angles to the interior surface 32 and provides an appropriate ledge or adapter for the adjacent coacting ends of the links. It will be noted that this flange 38 is disposed in a plane parallel with but above the plane of the top surface of the first-named bracket 16.

One link is denoted by the numeral 40. This primary link comprises a flat-faced rigid metal strap which is linearly straight from end to end. One terminal end portion, which may be called the inner end portion 42, overlaps andis pivoted or hinged in place as at 44 adjacent the end portion 26 of the bracket 16. The other outer end portion 46 underlies the bottom of the flange 38 where it is hinged in place at 48 adjacent to the end 50 of the flange 38. The companion and complemental link, which is here differentiated as an auxiliary or secondary link 52, is also formed from rigid strap metal and, as will be noted, is of a length greater than the length of the primary link 40. One end portion, the inner end 54, is laterally offset by a downward bend 56 and overlaps the top surface of the bracket 16 where it is hinged in place as at 58. It will be noted that the hinge point 58 is to the right of the hinge point 42 to provide the desired pivot points for the two coacting links 40 and 52. The outer terminal end portion 60 of the link 52 overlaps the flange 38 and is hingedly connected at 62 to the flange inwardly of the pivot point 48, that is, to the right thereof in FIG. 1. If desired, a spacing and equalizing washer 64 may the employed at this pivot point (see FIG. 4). It will the noted that with this construction and arrangement the hinged outer end 46 of link 40 is beneath the flange 38 while the pivot or hinge point 62 for the outer end 60 of link 52 is above the flange and hence the flange 38 is interposed between the hinged ends of these links to obtain the desired stability. Both links act in timely sequence and the principal load may be regarded as carried by the primary link 40 while the secondary link 52 contributes its share in accepting and carrying the load and particularly in achieving the paths of movement wherein when the door is partly open as shown in FIG. 2 the outer projecting end portions of the two links are disposed in converging relationship. Then, when the door is fully open (as shown at the right in FIG. 3) the outer end portion 60 of the secondary link 52 crosses over and beyond the corresponding end portion 46 of the primary link 40.

With the hinge construction shown and mounted it will be evident that no mortising of the cabinet components or walls is necessary. Also and with the door closed and the hinge parts in the position shown in FIG. 2 it is evident that both links 40 and 52 are in different planes with the link 40 below the plane of the link 52, Also and with the difference in length of the two links and the pivot points coacting with the brackets 16 (44 and 58) and with the flange 38 (48 and 62) the links are normally in side-by-side or general parallel relationship. When the door is pulled outwardly the links function in proper sequential order and relationship and swing from the retracted state or position in FIG. 1 to the projected state or position and relationship shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. As before pointed out, FIG. 2 shows the door partly opened with the outer pivoted ends of the links in overlapping and converging relationship. Then, with the door swung completely open as shown at the right in FIG. 3, the outer end portions 46 and 60 cross over each other to prevent binding or collision and to reduce friction drag to a minimum.

This built-in concealad and easy-to-install hinge has been constructed and experimentally used and has \been found to be such that it Well serves the purpose for which it is intended. It will be understood, of course, that but a single hinge means is herein shown and that whenever necessary or desired the hinge means may be duplicated and attached to a median or upper part of the openable and closable door.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a kitchen cabinet embodying a stationary first horizontal wall, a complemental second wall fixed vertically and at right angles to an end of said first wall, said walls having flush marginal edges cooperatively defining essential portions of an opena'ble and closable cabinet entrance opening, a vertically disposed door aligned with and adapted to span and close said entrance opening when said door closes against said marginal edges, and door mounting, supporting and hinging means adapted to be concealed when said door is fully closed, said means comprising a cleat superimposed upon and fixed atop said first wall, said cleat being elongated and having an outward edge generally parallel to the marginal edge of said front Wall and providing a first bracket, a second bracket complemental to said first bracket and supported on an interior surface of said door in a plane slightly above the plane of said first bracket, said first bracket providing a stationary anchor for links, said second bracket being movable in conjunction with said door, an elongated primary link parallel to and spaced above a coacting underlying surface of said first wall and having an inwardly disposed end hingedly joined to said first bracket, the outer door attaching end of said primary link being hingedly joined to said second bracket and assuming a position generally parallel to said marginal edges when the door is closed, and a secondary link complemental to said primary link and of a length greater than the length of the primary link and having an inner end offset and hingedly mounted atop said first bracket at a point proximal to the interior of said door and having an outer end adjacent said vertical wall and hingedly joined to said second bracket in a plane above the plane of said primary link, the lastnamed hinge joint being situated proximal to the interior surface of said door.

2. The combination according to claim 1, and wherein said second anchoring bracket comprises an L-shaped clip having one flange abutting and adjustably mounted on said interior surface and a second flange projecting inwardly at right angles from said interior surface and disposed in a plane above but parallel to said cleat, the outer door attaching end portion of said primary link underlying and being hingedly joined to the underneath side of said second flange, and the corresponding outer door attaching end portion of said secondary link overlying and being hingedly joined atop said second flange, whereby said second flange is accordingly interposed for stability and unerring linkage control between said links.

3. The combination according to claim 2, and wherein the distance between the top of said cleat and underneath side of said second flange is slightly greater than the cross-sectional thickness of said primary link, and Wherein said cleat is rectangular in plan with its outer marginal edge parallel to the adjacent outer marginal edge of said first wall.

4. The combination according to claim 1, and wherein said primary link is rigid, straight from end to end and is disposed in a plane below the plane of the body portion of the secondary link, said body portion of said secondary link being correspondingly straight, whereby when the door swings to a fully open position the outer terminal end portion of said secondary link swings is capable of swinging across and beyond the corresponding outer hinged end portion of the primary link into X- s'haped relationship without colliding.

5. The structure defined in and according to claim 4, and wherein each link comprises a single length of strap metal and said secondary link provides a stress and strain equalizing brace for well balanced smooth opera- 5 6 tion of the links and door in coordinated conjunction BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. with each other.

DORIS L. TROUTMAN, Assistant Exmniner.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS C1. X.R.

5 3,054,640 9/1962 Lorenz 297--89 49-248; 312138; 16-163 3,203,032 8/1965 Everett 16163 

